A day in the life of an Agama boy

Most of us have always been curious about the boys who perform the pujas and homas in the Bangalore International Centre. So, we decided to interview two boys: S. Rajalingam and Ramdeepesh Sivam studying in Sri Sri Gurukul. Here’s a sneak peak into their much hush lives.

1. What is your daily schedule?

S. Rajalingam: I wake up at 4:30 a.m, and at 5:30 its Prathsmaranam time. We all gather in the Devi Hall for vedic and sanskrit chants and yoga. From 6 to 8 am, we have gou puja, Anushtanam and Parayanam and puja in Devi Hall.

8am to 9:30am is our seva time, where we clean the school followed by breakfast. We have morning classes till 12:30, followed by lunch. From 2:30pm to 5:30pm, we have evening classes, after which we go for sandhyavandhanam and seva. At 6:15pm, we gather at the Devi Hall for our evening puja and parayanam. At 8:00pm, we go for our dinner and 8:45 to 9.30 is our time to study, after which we go to bed.

Ramdeepesh Sivam follows the same schedule in the morning and then heads to teach his students.

2. What is your favorite time of the day? What do you like to do at that time?

S. Rajalingam: My favorite time of the day is when we all do Yoga in the morning at Prathasmaranam. I like the silence maintained at our Devi Hall.

Ramdeepesh Sivam: I like it when we go for satsangs on Sundays. I cheer up and sing loudly.

3. What is your background? How many people are there in your family?

S. Rajalingam: I am from Trichy, Tamil Nadu. My father works at Sri Rathnagirishwarar Temple. There are four members in my family - mother, father, sister and I.

Ramdeepesh Sivam: I am from Mohanur, Tamil Nadu. My father works at Madhukaraveni Amba Sametha Achala Deepeshwarar temple. I have four members in my family – mother, father, sister and I.

4. What subjects are you learning here?

S. Rajalingam: I learn the same subjects as the other students. Veda, Agama, Sanskrit, Jothisham, Thirumurai, English, Computer Education and Music. There are different levels where each batch learns different chapters which is eventually covered by all of them.

Ramdeepesh Sivam: I have finished my seven year course at Sri Sri Gurukul and now I am an assistant teacher at the Gurukul teaching Stothram.

5. How many classes do you have in a day?

S. Rajalingam: Morning four and evening four and some special classes too.

Ramdeepesh Sivam: I have four classes everyday.

6. What do you do in the evenings?

S. Rajalingam: I do my sandhyavandanam and go for the evening puja in Devi Hall.

Ramdeepesh Sivam: I finish my sandhyavandhanam and look after the Agama students.

7. What games do you like to play? What do you like to eat?

S. Rajalingam: I like to play cricket and kabadi and I like south Indian food.

Ramdeepesh Sivam: I like to play cricket and chess. I like south Indian food too and ashram food.

Ramdeepesh Sivam: I chant during special pujas and during classes and special occasions.

10. What kind of discipline is followed at the Gurukul?

S. Rajalingam: We need to be neatly dressed up for classes, attend morning assembly, attend pranayam and pujas in the morning and evening, do Trikala sandhyavandhanam thrice a day, greet everyone, attend every class, keep the surroundings clean, save water and electricity.

Ramdeepesh Sivam says, as a teacher I manage all the students, ensure they attend classes, report to the principal about what’s happening in the school and follow the same discipline rules as others.